Nation's best tarmac rally drivers ready to push their cars to the limit

THIS weekend's Targa Wrest Point promises to be a battle of the big guns as Australia's best tarmac rally drivers push their cars to the limit over some of Tasmania's best roads.

THIS weekend's Targa Wrest Point promises to be a battle of the big guns as Australia's best tarmac rally drivers push their cars to the limit over some of Tasmania's best roads.

The North-West's Jason White and Jamie Vandenberg are first and second in the Modern competition of the Australian Targa Championship, with Targa Wrest Point round three of the four-round series.

Hobart-based South Australian Steve Glenney lies fourth in the championship race after winning the opening round in Adelaide, but a mechanical problem sidelined his Nissan GT-R at Victoria's Targa High Country in November.

White has reason to be confident ahead of Targa Wrest Point, having won the event four times, including last year.

A second and first place in the opening two rounds of this season's championship has the Burnie driver well placed to repeat his success from last year.

But motorsport is never that easy. Like Glenney, veteran Tony Quinn is behind the wheel of a potent Nissan GT-R, and Victorian Matt Close has come close to winning Targa events in his Audi TT RS.

Close was second in Targa Wrest Point last year, just 42 seconds behind White.

Tomorrow's action starts at Wrest Point at 7.30am, with the Lucaston stage the first test, as in previous years.

The course then takes in the Esperance Coast and Tahune Airwalk roads, before finishing with the Longley and Neika stages.

Sunday has another seven stages, including Pelverata, Nicholls Rivulet, Gardners Bay, Woodridge and Oyster Cove, and at 86 kilometres is longer than recent Sunday outings at Targa Wrest Point.

The podium finish, champagne shower and celebrations that mark the end of the rally will take place at Wrest Point from 1.30pm.